MyAniList Tokubetsu/Tokubetsu+ FAQ

MyAniList is an iOS app that you can use as long as you’d like without paying for anything. However, there are a few paid options that can improve your experience using the app! These paid options include some fun enhancements, and they are ways you can help support me (the sole developer for MyAniList) introduce the features you’d like to see in the future! Below outlines the two different paid options.

Note: Tokubetsu+ is the only purchasable item as of version 3.0.0 and newer.

What was Tokubetsu?

Tokubetsu was a one-time purchase that unlocked a handful of fun features. This was my initial attempt of including features under a paywall that didn’t hinder the basic abilities of MyAniList. There were three different price points you could purchase at, all of which would unlock the same thing. I added price tiers because I ultimately wanted you, the consumer, to determine how much this feature set was worth to you. So if you purchased at the highest tier, thank you so much. 🥳

Features Included in Tokubetsu

Tokubetsu includes the following features:

Custom Lists: View and filter your lists using the custom lists you’ve created on AniList.co.

Actionable Notifications: MyAniList sends notifications when a show on your list is currently airing. With Tokubetsu, you can use the actions on the notifications themselves to automatically mark the episode as watched. It’s nice if you want an easy button to tap on for a series you’ve been keeping up with!

Custom Appearances: Tweak the contrast (brightness) and continuity (bluriness) of your background. If you used custom backgrounds, this is a great way to get them working just the way you like them with the app!

App Themes: Tokubetsu includes a handful of themes, including a light/dark set of themes, and some palettes inspired by Madoka Magica (i.e. “Madoka” and “Homura”).

App Icons: Choose from a nice variety of different color variants of the MyAniList logo! Made by yours truly (Note: I’m clearly not a designer 😄).

Biometric Lock: If you have items that you’d rather not show to other people, you can add biometrics to lock the app! Based on your device’s capabilities, you can enable Touch ID or Face ID to protect your lists from being messed with.

Support! It’s a great way to support a single developer working on this on his spare time. 😄

What is Tokubetsu+?

Tokubetsu+ is a subscription-based purchase that enhances the already-awesome feature set of Tokubetsu! You can choose between a monthly or yearly subscription, and it includes everything you’d get with Tokubetsu. I chose a subscription model because I believe that these features, while optional, allow me to highlight some of my best work in a passion project of mine.

Features Included in Tokubetsu+

Tokubetsu+ includes everything you get with Tokubetsu, as well as:

Advanced Editing Capabilities: You can mark any series as private or public! For instance, if you have that one series that is a tad risqué (or maybe something you just want to keep to yourself) and you don’t want anyone to see updates you’ve made’, you can mark it private. Additionally, if you have some notes you want to write down for a show, you can do that too! Write something down to remember so you can reflect on it later.

iOS Widgets: MyAniList takes advantage of iOS’s Widgets system and includes a wide variety of lock screen and home widgets to look at-a-glance! These include seeing what’s airing next on your list and your current profile stats! More widgets to come soon.

More App Icons: Enjoy an even larger list of icons to choose from! These have been expertly crafted with a brand new logo, and this collection will continue to grow with other colorways and designers.

More Themes: Customize MyAniList even further with more beautiful themes, again influenced by Madoka Magica! The Sayaka, Mami, and Kyouko themes compliment the existing Homura and Madoka ones. Additionally, more themes will be coming soon!

Support! Again! It’s a great way to support me with this endeavor. 😄

The Tokubetsu+ feature set is always being worked on, so this list will continue to include in the future.

Wait, so is everything going to be under a subscription model?

No. There will still be features coming in that will be free for everyone, and you do not need a subscription to continue using MyAniList. The subscription may include future content such as:

New app icons
New themes and visual customizations
Advanced features, like seeing greater detailed/historical stats and performing less-commonly-used user actions
Some iOS platform features
Offline support

(note: this list is in no way final and not indicative of any future version of MyAniList)

Ugh so what gives? Why did you switch to a subscription model? You’re just like every other company out there!

I’ve been the only person working on MyAniList, and I’ve been working on it for almost a decade now. I spend about 20 hours a week (very late nights and weekends, when possible) building out MyAniList, and I believe these are high-quality features that passionate customers would love to use. The core functionality of the app remains free and ad-free, and I believe subscriptions are a great compromise for not plastering MyAniList with ugly ads.

I also work a busy, full-time job in big tech and have a wonderful and supportive family that I really love to be around 😄 Trying to squeeze out that time every day has become increasingly more difficult every year. I eventually want to move to doing this full-time, so your continued support with this subscription service helps me realize that dream!

What about a lifetime purchase?

We have a lifetime option for those who would rather not purchase a subscription.

If I bought Tokubetsu, will those features be gone with Tokubetsu+?

Absolutely not! If you purchased Tokubetsu (thank you so much, by the way! ❤️) prior to the launch of Tokubetsu+, you’ll retain those features forever. Paying for Tokubetsu+ will unlock items that are not under the original Tokubetsu feature set.

If I bought Tokubetsu, why do I have to pay full price? Can you offer a discount?

If you were an original purchaser for Tokubetsu, you can receive a huge one-time annual discount in the app!

Can I switch from a monthly subscription plan to a yearly plan?

You can! Simply go into Settings > MyAniList Tokubetsu+, then choose “Upgrade to Yearly.” Apple will let you know that the new subscription won’t go into effect until the last day of the monthly subscription has passed. Make sure to check this however by going to your subscriptions page (this can be found in iOS Settings > Apple Account > Subscriptions).

Can I cancel anytime?

Yes! Just go to Settings > MyAniList Tokubetsu+, then choose “Manage Subscriptions” at the bottom. You will be pushed to a page where you can manage your current subscriptions for your Apple account.

In the event that you would like to get a refund for a purchase you did not intentionally make, you can follow the procedure on Apple’s website to request a refund through the App Store.

Note: I can’t control your subscription, as this is through Apple’s platform. Please check out that link first!

What happens if I cancel my Tokubetsu+ subscription? Will I lose all of my customized settings?

For actions like advanced editing and widgets, these will no longer be accessible (but will still be visible and able to be tapped on to renew your subscription if you change your mind). For features that customize the overall look of the app, most things (besides the app icon) will go back to application defaults. For instance, using a theme from Tokubetsu+ will eventually revert back to the standard “Bubbles” theme. Your app icon will stay the same; however, you will be unable to switch to anything else besides the default app icon.

I’m getting an error trying to restore my Tokubetsu+ subscription. Or, my original Tokubetsu purchase no longer is unlocking older features. Halp!

Oh no, sorry to hear about that! Tap on this email (support@myanilist.app), include your username and the issue you’re seeing, and we’ll try to get it all sorted out! Screenshots are helpful too.